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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Sunday that she is running for president.
“Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that champion,” Clinton said in an online video announcing her candidacy.
Clinton’s bid for president is the latest chapter of a long career in politics and public life. In addition to being First Lady with President Bill Clinton, she served in the U.S. Senate representing New York from 2001-2009. After an unsuccessful bid against Barack Obama to win the 2008 Democratic primary, she became Secretary of State in his administration.
Clinton will focus on the importance of income security and economic mobility for the middle class, along with reducing income inequality, according to Dan Balz, chief political reporter at the Washington Post.
A remaining question is how her campaign will address foreign policy, an area in which she has a large amount of experience. Republican candidates are sure to attack her record as Secretary of State, Balz said.
In 2008, Clinton finished third in the Iowa caucuses, which forecasted her defeat in the Democratic primary. This week, Clinton will visit Iowa to re-introduce herself to voters and focus on small events, Balz said.
“I think that she wants to be able to suggest to people, to voters, that she is accessible, that she understands them,” he said.
Clinton joins several other politicians who have announced their intention to run for president, including Republicans Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio. No other Democrats have announced their candidacy.
Warm up questions
- Who is Hillary Clinton?
- How do primary elections work? Who can vote in the primaries?
- President Obama cannot run for president in 2016 because he has already served two terms. Who else do you think will run in 2016?
Critical thinking questions
- What will the challenges be for other Democrats who decide to run against Clinton in the primaries?
- Clinton already ran in a Democratic primary in 2008. How could this history affect her candidacy now?
- Activity: Watch Clinton’s announcement video . Who makes an appearance in the video? What does each character in the video say about the message Clinton is trying to convey?
